UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 12, Page 6
November 17, 1994
Turkey tips for the annual feast

     Some holiday traditions related to preparing, cooking and storing
Thanksgiving turkey are unsafe, according to Mary Wilcoxon, University
extension home economics agent. Some of the older ways of dealing with
turkey can be dangerous and food-borne bacteria can arrive as an
unwelcome guest at your Thanksgiving dinner.
     For example, Wilcoxon said, the long-held method of slowly
cooking a turkey in a 250-degree oven can result in making the whole
family sick.
     She offers some helpful rules for cooking turkey:
     * Set the oven no lower than 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Use an oven
       thermometer to ensure the oven's accuracy.
     * Test doneness in several areas of the turkey using a cooking
       thermometer. The turkey isn't cooked until the thermometer
       registers 180 degrees F, when inserted into the dark meat,
       making sure that the thermometer is not touching bone.
     * Do not leave stuffing in the turkey after it is cooked. That's
       the perfect medium for disease-causing microorganisms and
       bacteria to grow, she said. Stuff the turkey just before
       putting it into the oven and remove the stuffing as soon as you
       take the turkey out of the oven. Either serve the turkey and
       stuffing immediately or refrigerate it.
     * Do not leave the cooked turkey out for more than two hours.
       Better yet, put on the table only what you plan to use
       immediately and refrigerate the remainder.

THAWING THE TURKEY:
     Wilcoxon says thawing the turkey on the kitchen counter is
unsafe. The turkey can still be frozen in the middle and will have
reached a temperature on the outside at which bacteria thrive.
     The safest way to thaw a turkey is in the refrigerator. Place it
on a tray to catch the juices, the home economist says, or you run the
risk of cross-contaminating foods stored below it.
     The USDA formulas for determining thawing time are:
     * Thaw in the refrigerator (allow one day for every five pounds
       of turkey), or
     * Quick-thaw method in a sink filled with cold water (a 20-pound
       turkey takes 10 hours to thaw; change the water every half
       hour).

TIPS FOR TRANSPORTING THE HOLIDAY FEAST:
     If you plan to take your turkey on the road after it's cooked,
Wilcoxon has two tips for safe transport:
     * Cook the turkey completely the day before. Carve it
       immediately. Package separate from the stuffing in containers
       no more than 4 inches deep and refrigerate. The shallowness of
       the container allows for rapid cooling, which inhibits bacteria
       growth.
     * Transport the turkey and other food for the meal in an
       insulated cooler packed with ice.

STORING TURKEY LEFTOVERS:
     * Use turkey leftovers within three to four days; freeze for
       longer storage.
     * Use leftover gravy within one to two days; freeze for longer
       storage.


     Have specific turkey questions? Dial the USDA Hotline:
     Through Nov. 30, the U.S. Department of Agriculture meat and
poultry hotline (1-800-535-4555) will be staffed weekdays from 9 a.m.-
5 p.m. The hours on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 19 and 20, will be 9
a.m.-5 p.m., and on Thanksgiving Day, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
     To receive two Extension fact sheets-Let's Talk Turkey and Safe
Turkey Shortcuts-call your county office. In Newark, contact
Agriculture Sciences Communications at 831-1125.